


Turn

by techieturnover



Series: Tumblr prompt Fills [5]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: First Meeting, Gen, I will make that a tag, Pre Canon, Pre Relationship, historical figures used aggressively without their permission, john locke as resident crustacean, shamelessly namedropping early abolitionist philosophers since forever, trans Miranda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28213932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/techieturnover/pseuds/techieturnover
Summary: Miranda & Thomas meet for the first time while Miranda visits a friend of her mother's to receive instructions on being a lady. Thomas is also visiting the estate to try and get an audience with a certain popular philosopher he heard might be there.
Relationships: Miranda Barlow & Thomas Hamilton, Miranda Barlow/Thomas Hamilton
Series: Tumblr prompt Fills [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863628
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Turn

**Author's Note:**

> So this story is loosely based off some headcanons I’d written in these posts and my new favorite stan-canon that I like to write Miranda as a transwoman. 
> 
> (Also it’s a BIT early for Sophia Hume to be writing since she was born in 1704 and this would take place approximately in 1696 but like...Black Sails doesn’t know what time is and I’m ALWAYS about name dropping Quaker Philosophers(especially female ones!!!) into my fanfiction :) )

Thomas follows the distant scratching of a quill through the Masham’s country estate until he finds his quarry - Mr. Locke is sat at a small desk in the corner of their library and Thomas painfully ignores the walls of books to apprehend his pray. 

“Mr. Locke-”

“Good Lord, boy, I’ve told you no.”

“But sir, I’m very interested in hearing your thoughts. I’ve read your two treatises and some of your other works but I have also been reading some of the literature written by Sophia Hume on the state of Carolina and I-”

“And I’ve told you before, Lord Hamilton, that your father did not send you here to question men who were putting pen to paper before you were off your mother’s tit.”

“But sir if we are to believe that man’s soul is affected by his actions, isn’t the action of enslaving another man akin to enslaving yourself? Shouldn’t we strive to make every man as free as we are?”

“Lord Hamilton, I have told you before that if you would like to debate the bible, you should join Newton and his fellows. Now, your father needs this proposal done post haste, and you are distracting me from this task.”

Even though some would argue the point, Thomas does understand a firm dismissal - a threatening one even - when it is put to him. 

“Sorry sir,” he says, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. He has only recently come upon the works of the popular philosophers of the day, and Locke’s Two Treatises had thoroughly enraptured him.

It seemed, as Thomas was learning was often the case, the man himself was far less interesting. Instead, Thomas plucks a book off the shelf - a fairly plain book, with a red cover and the name of an old Grecian philosopher he’s heard mentioned - and sets out to find a place he will not be called a nuisance to read. 

As soon as he exits the library a young girl falls into step next to him, hands clasped gently behind her back and a knowing smirk on her face. 

“Put you off again, did he?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” 

He isn’t familiar with the dark hair or warm brown eyes, but he sees something in the girl’s smile that feels familiar.

“No, I’m-” the girl pauses. “- I’m one of Lady Masham’s maids in waiting. Miranda Barlow.” She holds out a hand, and Thomas takes it, placing the perfunctory kiss upon it before he continues walking. 

“Thomas Hamilton, miss, although I’m quite sure you must have known that already.”

“You’re what? Seventeen? In a country manner where you’re free to do anything you please, and the first thing you do is bother the crusty old man who never leaves the library.”

Thomas wants to point out that he had, in fact, taken a ride out across the fields when he’d first arrived. And promptly gotten lost.

Well. 

“He’s the reason I came. I wanted to talk to him.”

“Doesn’t seem he wants to talk to you.” Thomas looks to the girl, and finds the smirk on her face infectious. 

“Well, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been told off, and if he’s yet to learn just how stubborn the Hamiltons can be even through his dealings with my father, I feel it’s my sworn duty to educate him.” 

The smirk flits briefly into a laugh, and Thomas feels an answering smile on his own lips. Perhaps a bit of company wouldn’t be amiss, even if it isn’t the company he had planned.

He looks down at the book in his hands. 

“Have you read this?” 

Miranda looks down, examining the title with a small purse of her lips.

“I haven’t, but then I’m mostly not encouraged to read except for the needlepoint manuals and cookery books. Mr. Masham is eager or me to find a husband and women who read are, according to him, quite boring.”

“Mr. Masham himself is quite boring, if you’ll be pleased not to tell him I said so.” 

Miranda laughs again, and Thomas is pleased to have delighted her. 

“Well perhaps he won’t find it boring if you assist me. I’m reading into the ancient philosophers, and I could use a second pair of eyes.”

“Even a woman’s?”

“Do they see differently?”

“I don’t believe I’d know.” there is something secret there, and Thomas is instantly, again, intrigued by his new companion. 

“Well, what suppose we find out?”


End file.
